Chain and sprocket life

[Suu Kyi]

Hi, up for a new chain and sprockets, 2019 GT's done around 32k kms. Had to change the OEM chain at around 10k because of the bad chain batch which caused the seals (O rings) to separate. Means I only got around 20k kms on the new chain and sprockets. Is this normal?

 

[ilanr1]

Many parameters are involving here my friend :

1. Condition of the chain ,  I mean how often you oil it.

2. Wet , salty road or a dusty one..

3. Loaded bike ?.

4. Your driving style ...

5. Driving mostly highways or mostly in the city ..

6. Is it tight or loose...?

Thanks

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by ilanr1

[peteinpa]

That's way low.  What chain is that?

I would get 20k miles out of a chain min. on my CBR1100XX back in the day. Makes WAY  more HP and torque.

Im still on the OEM chain on my FJ09 at 8500 miles. Still perfect.🤞

[Sunde]

Sound pretty normal to me if you ride spirited.
Can easly kill a chain faster than that even with religious maintenance. 
At least for the climate i am used to. 

Edited June 8, 2022 by Sunde

[Suu Kyi]

Chain brand is DID. Regularly maintained, adjusted, oiled etc. Predominantly around town with the occasional long trips of around 1k kms carrying full panniers and a top box. No salt on the roads or the like, no such thing in Perth Western Australia. A bit more detail; came across a tight spot in the chain, not too serious so did the adjustment based on that spot. Got bike serviced the other day and mechanic pointed out that chain has a tight spot and hence may be on the way out, meaning replacement of the chain and the sprockets. Have come across tight spots in chains on my previous bikes and haven't really worried about it unless it got to a point where the difference between tight and loose sections made it quite difficult to adjust. So; wait till it gets really bad?

[KrustyKush]

I’ll pass 8k miles this morning on the trip to a Dr. Typically hand oil my chain every 100 to 200 miles. On recent cross country ride through hot country, I oiled it every 200-250 miles. I hand oil with Scott oil using one of those little plastic garden droppers, and get oil on each link. Try to let it sit for awhile and rotate the wheel a couple times to let the oil work in.

So at 8k my chain is very good. No tight links yet, and only the tiniest areas of “tight spot” on the chain length. It looks great from all the oil.

The worst thing about all the oiling is cleaning the flinging, which I do most every day, to keep my rear end clean. With less frequent oiling the chain and sprockets will get nasty sooner. I like them looking and rolling smooth and quiet. 

[PhotoAl]

On my 2020 Tracer GT OEM chain was replaced at 11,000 miles.  Could have gotten more but was leaving on a 6,500 mile trip.  It had several tight links but nothing too bad.  Replaced sprockets at that time although they had vey little wear.  Currently at 7,500 miles on new DID chain and it is doing very well.  I have a Scottoiler which worked well on the long trip but seems to not be working now - need to fiddle with it.  20,000km seems rather soon particularly for a DID but dust and dirt does make a difference.  I keep my chain at more than half way on the recommended slack - a bit on the loose side.

[texscottyd]

On 6/8/2022 at 6:12 AM, Suu Kyi said:

Means I only got around 20k kms on the new chain and sprockets. Is this normal?

That translates to about 12.5K miles, which is in the range of what we've seen for the factory chain.  I nursed mine to about 18K miles, but it was way overdue by that time.   Any good aftermarket chain will be of noticeably higher quality than the DID chain that is supplied to Yamaha as OEM for the bike, and you should get significantly more miles from your replacement.  

[Rick123]

On my previous 2017 FJ09 I’ve got 50 000km out of OEM chain. The same my riding buddy on his 2019 GT but at the end of last year I got 2015 FJ with 18 000km on it and previous owner has already replaced the original one…

[Rick123]

On 6/8/2022 at 10:12 AM, KrustyKush said:

I’ll pass 8k miles this morning on the trip to a Dr. Typically hand oil my chain every 100 to 200 miles. On recent cross country ride through hot country, I oiled it every 200-250 miles. I hand oil with Scott oil using one of those little plastic garden droppers, and get oil on each link. Try to let it sit for awhile and rotate the wheel a couple times to let the oil work in.

So at 8k my chain is very good. No tight links yet, and only the tiniest areas of “tight spot” on the chain length. It looks great from all the oil.

The worst thing about all the oiling is cleaning the flinging, which I do most every day, to keep my rear end clean. With less frequent oiling the chain and sprockets will get nasty sooner. I like them looking and rolling smooth and quiet. 

Seriously? Every 100 miles every single link? It make me wonder how long did it take you to cross the country?

[Sunde]

15 minutes ago, Rick123 said:

Seriously? Every 100 miles every single link? It make me wonder how long did it take you to cross the country?

Takes like 5 mins, you drip the oil on either directly or wipe it on with a cloth, spin the wheel a few times and wipe of excess to avoid turning your bike into a murderscene.
 I do the same when i am on a long trip, its not like an hourlong procedure haha. 

[Wintersdark]

If your the sort to want to make sure it's liked every 100m, then just buy a damned auto oiler.  My Tutoros cost about $130 each and have been bulletproof, chains are permanently well lubricated.  

At every 100m, you'd be hand oiling multiple times per day.  That's nuts. 

Sure, it's easy to do, but .. yikes. 

[Sunde]

5 hours ago, Wintersdark said:

If your the sort to want to make sure it's liked every 100m, then just buy a damned auto oiler.  My Tutoros cost about $130 each and have been bulletproof, chains are permanently well lubricated.  

At every 100m, you'd be hand oiling multiple times per day.  That's nuts. 

Sure, it's easy to do, but .. yikes. 

My experience with auto oilers does 100% testify to your claim of a well lubed chain.
Also means lube everwhere else though!
 I have a mate who runs a scottoiler, by the time he has his helmet off and has lit his cigarette my chain is looking new again.
 His bike on the other hand looks like an enviromental disaster on wheels. I refuse to roll around with a rearwheel/numberplateholder covered in oil. (Not to mention all the unseen bits) All the bikes i'v seen with scottoilers etc always makes the deepwaterhorizion incident look like a drop in the ocean.

My chain = right side, even after a full day of riding.
My mate = left side
We do not get equal lifespan from our chains, in case anyone is wondering. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by Sunde

[Wintersdark]

8 hours ago, Sunde said:

My experience with auto oilers does 100% testify to your claim of a well lubed chain.
Also means lube everwhere else though!
 I have a mate who runs a scottoiler, by the time he has his helmet off and has lit his cigarette my chain is looking new again.
 His bike on the other hand looks like an enviromental disaster on wheels. I refuse to roll around with a rearwheel/numberplateholder covered in oil. (Not to mention all the unseen bits) All the bikes i'v seen with scottoilers etc always makes the deepwaterhorizion incident look like a drop in the ocean.

My chain = right side, even after a full day of riding.
My mate = left side
We do not get equal lifespan from our chains, in case anyone is wondering. 

That's an improperly set up oiler.  May as well argue that a picture of a guy with a rusted out chain and sprockets is what happens when you don't have an auto oiler.  

Both my bikes have oilers (Tutoro's) and neither are environmental disasters on wheels, neither makes a big mess.  If you're making a big mess with it, the flow rate is set way too high.  They're adjustable for a reason. 

Oilers aren't for everyone for sure.  If you're just riding in nicer conditions, and it's not particularly dusty where you live, or you're not riding a whole lot?  Not really worth the trouble.  If you really, really like chain maintenance, then have at it.  If I where a guy who just occassionally rides in the summer for fun, I'd not bother with an auto oiler either.

As a guy who rides 100 miles every two days year round excluding day rides and trips?  That's nuts.  I mean, how do you do that without getting dirty?  What are you doing with rags, oil, are you SUPER careful or do you wear gloves?  I've done it, before getting oilers - I ride in the winter, which means riding in literal brine, slush, snow, rain.  A chain that's not lubricated is a chain that's rusted, and you'll kill a chain in a single winter if you don't clean and lube it with extreme regularity.  Or you get an auto oiler, set it up correctly and forget about it, knowing you're going to get good chain life.  

But yeah, I'd argue, for most motorcyclists, they're probably not worth the trouble.  I'd also argue most motorcyclists are filthy casuals 😃

I'll say this: I've never, not once in my life, seen anyone do what you suggest on a trip.  Never.  I mean, it works for you and that's great, but you have to know you're the odd one there.  Sure, on a several thousand mile trip, a clean and lubing of chains happens a couple times, but on a 300 mile day ride?  Not once in 30+ years of riding have I seen anyone so much as wipe a chain.  And the people I ride with tend to be pretty maintenance focused and do take care of their bikes - mostly because we get rid of the people who don't, as they end up being problems on trips.

[KrustyKush]

It's been a long many years since I had a chain drive bike.  They've been shafts and belts for well over 20 years.  Going to chain on this bike was a bummer for me.  After a few days it dawned on me that the chain is going to be a big PITA.

For sure, oiling the chain out on the road is a PITA.  No it doesn't take long, but I like to sit while I oil, and sitting on the ground in my Stich seems a little undignified for a 73 y/o geezer.  OTOH, riding a motorcycle may also strike a lot of people as undignified, and yet I do it gladly.

At home, I will oil the chain most every day.  I ride average of 100 miles every day, so that's about how it works out.  I'm not much of a long distance rider any more, but I did a 1900 miler last week, and it worked out to about 200-250 miles between oiling.  That's once per day.  Usually in the parking lot at the motel.

While it may be a PITA, I get a certain joy out of making sure all is well back there.  Eyeballing every link, every day.  Tire, the wheel, other stuff back there.  It gives a nice opportunity to make sure things are where they should be.  It takes no more than ten minutes max.  If you're careful you only put on the right amount of oil so there is very little fling.